Many discomforts of joints seem to resemble arthritic conditions because of their pain and discomfort. Indeed, some of the treatments used for them are similar to arthritis treatments. However, they are not considered arthritis.

Among this category of disorders are fibrositis and fibromyalgia, bursitis, tennis/golfer’s elbow, frozen shoulder, housemaid’s knee, baker’s cyst, and Achilles’ tendinitis.

Fibrositis and Fibromyalgia

The terms fibrositis and fibromyalgia refer to painful conditions that are technically not arthritis; they are conditions of the soft tissue, sometimes referred to as non-articular-soft-tissue rheumatism because joints usually are not affected.

Individuals who have these syndromes experience stiffness, unexplained pain around their joints, a generalized feeling of aching, easy fatigability, and sleep disturbances. While the patient may describe joint pain, physicians usually do not see swelling of joints during examinations. Some patients describe numbness, tingling and poor circulation. A physician may diagnose fibrositis by locating the existence of tender points throughout the body during a physical examination.

Many more women-a nine to one ratio-than men have fibrositis. It usually occurs during childbearing years, but seems to be occurring increasingly during the teen years. Many patients with fibrositis say their pains are worse during cool, damp weather, or during periods of overexertion, anxiety and emotional stress. Symptoms in some women worsen during pregnancy and then are relieved after the delivery of the baby.

Infection seems to make fibrositis worse. Stress also plays a major role in the disease.

For many individuals, improvements often occur during warmer weather, vacations and relaxed activity. Better sleep, mild exercise and better management of stress help many people.